Evaluating Research in Communication Disorders, 8th edition

For research methods courses (communication sciences and disorders / audiology research).

A current, comprehensive, carefully organized guide to analyzing research articles

Evaluating Research in Communication Disorders uses the structure of a research article as a guide. The text addresses the critical evaluation of each section of a research article. The author provides abundant illustrative excerpts from research literature along the way. After addressing the critical evaluation of each section of a research article, students learn ways to employ evidence-based practice.

The 8th Edition is updated and expanded to reflect the most recent trends in research and evidence-based practice.

Hallmark features of this title

• Using the structure of a research article as a guide, the text takes the reader from the Introduction to the Conclusions.
• Abundant illustrative excerpts from the research literature are presented throughout. New excerpts are added to maintain currency, while classic excerpts that best exemplify concepts are retained.
• Evidence-based practice helps frame discussions of qualitative research, narrative literature reviews and clinical tutorials. After addressing the critical evaluation of each section of a research article, the text uses this information as the foundation for practical ways to employ evidence-based practice.
• Expanded discussions of research-practice relationships, implementing evidence-based practice, assessing levels of evidence and more.

New and updated features of this title

• NEW: New material on distinguishing science, nonscience, and pseudoscience (Ch. 1), open-access research journals (Ch. 1), digital literacy and fluency with digital information (Ch.1), the research–practice gap (Chs. 1 and 10), the Toulmin approach to the analysis of rational arguments (Ch. 2), the "Common Rule" regarding the protection of human subjects (Ch. 6).
• UPDATED: Reorganized material aids the development of evaluation skills, critical-thinking ability and reinforcement of key concepts, helping to better match the needs of students and instructors using the text in a single-semester course.
• UPDATED: Chapter 10, "Translating Research into Practice," has been extensively reworked to reinforce the principles of evidence-based practice and strategies to help close the gap between what is known from the research literature and what is done routinely in clinical settings.
• UPDATED: Exercises in Critical Reading help students develop critical evaluation skills on their own and guide group projects that involve the evaluation of research literature. New exercises in each chapter reflect the remarkable breadth of speech, language, swallowing and hearing studies represented in the literature.